Washington, D.C. – Today, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) made the following statement regarding the attempt to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to drilling for oil and gas:

"With another Republican Congress comes another attempt to turn over this iconic national wildlife refuge to the oil and gas industry. Fortunately, all previous attempts to destroy this pristine arctic ecosystem have failed and I’m going to fight tooth and nail until this attempt fails too."